New MacBook Pro drops optical audio out through headphone jack

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 84
    lkrupp said:
    As someone has already pointed out, Apple’s explanation of why they left the headphone jack in the new MacBooks is total bullshit. Professional audio power users use USB interfaces, NOT the analog 3.5mm jack. They used to use Firewire until Apple gave up on it. Hell, even I use a USB Phono Plus interface to get vinyl LPs into my iMac. It has a built-in RIAA phono pre-amp input, standard line in/out, optical in/out, and digital coax s/pdif in. And I’m just an amateur hobbyist. 

    There is NO logical reason for the headphone jack to be on the new MacBooks if the iPhone 7 doesn’t. 
    Hmm... Well, to be fair, pro audio people also use 1/4" audio jacks (which are analog).
    baconstang
  • Reply 22 of 84
    Ra_Ra_ Posts: 4member
    The only two posts I've ever made here under any name, so far as I recall, were in the last couple days pointing out to all the people commenting about them not removing the audio jack that the optical functionality was an often forgotten about important (arguably, or at least neat) feature of the macs... le sigh. I'll miss it if it is true that it is removed. I used it for connecting to my 5.1 digital input pc speakers, as well as on rare occasions other devices.
    randominternetpersondysamoriabaconstang
  • Reply 23 of 84
    Can things get any worse?
  • Reply 24 of 84
    hexclockhexclock Posts: 1,243member
    lkrupp said:
    As someone has already pointed out, Apple’s explanation of why they left the headphone jack in the new MacBooks is total bullshit. Professional audio power users use USB interfaces, NOT the analog 3.5mm jack. They used to use Firewire until Apple gave up on it. Hell, even I use a USB Phono Plus interface to get vinyl LPs into my iMac. It has a built-in RIAA phono pre-amp input, standard line in/out, optical in/out, and digital coax s/pdif in. And I’m just an amateur hobbyist. 

    There is NO logical reason for the headphone jack to be on the new MacBooks if the iPhone 7 doesn’t. 
    I use my FireWire 10 channel audio interface on my 2013 Mac Pro with the FW to TB adapter...works great. Even if the Pro didn't have the headphone jack, the interface has one anyway. So I wouldn't miss it on a new MacBook at all. Someone else might, but not me. 
  • Reply 25 of 84
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member
    tokyojimu said:
    They better not drop it from the Mini!
    You'd be better employing your anxiety worrying about whether or not they're going to drop the Mini itself....  :/
    macxpressdysamoria
  • Reply 26 of 84
    It was likely a smart move, to simplify a product by removing rarely-used interfaces, but for them to charge more for even *less* capability.... that hurts.
    decondosdysamoriajasenj1baconstang
  • Reply 27 of 84
    tokyojimu said:
    They better not drop it from the Mini!

    Not to worry... they will keep selling the current model Mini for the next 5 years.  :D
    tokyojimu
  • Reply 28 of 84
    mike1 said:
    Absolutely would miss the digital out on an ATV. One of the reasons I haven't moved to an ATV4. I use the ATV3 for Airplay from my computer and feed the digital audio out to my AV receiver. Can't do that with an ATV4.
    er, that's what i do with my ATV4 and receiver. uses the HDMI interface from device to receiver. 
    I just AirPlay directly to my receiver.

    Most home theatre receivers being sold these days support AirPlay, and I've even started to see some that support Google's cast too. So the optical audio port isn't really needed much anymore for setups that can use any of those methods. No need to airplay to ATV4 and then through any cable to the receiver.

    I do find it a little annoying that things like this need to be hunted down when Apple releases a new product, and is one of the reasons why I don't just go out and rush to order something on day of announcement or release. I prefer to wait a little while and let the dust settle, as it gives me the opportunity to make a more informed decision.
    edited November 2016
  • Reply 29 of 84
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,544member
    I'm in audio, and the minijack is by far the most-used port on my machine except for MagSafe. 

    Never, ever used the optical S/PDIF. 
    randominternetperson
  • Reply 30 of 84
    sergiozsergioz Posts: 338member
    Apple made their laptops so slim and now removing many loved features one by one, that's sad :(
    dysamoriajasenj1baconstang
  • Reply 31 of 84
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Who didn't know this? It's in the marketing specs on the website. Supports headphones only. The bigger question if they dropped support for analogue audio input, including from a mono headset input.

    I'm still betting they will replace the 3.5mm jack with Lightning on the Retina MacBook in the Spring, and then the Pros in the first refresh. If the rMB does not get Lightning then, Apple might go to USB-C, provided that we see Lightning to USB-C adapters appear over the next 6 months. 
    edited November 2016
  • Reply 32 of 84
    hexclock said:
    I use my FireWire 10 channel audio interface on my 2013 Mac Pro with the FW to TB adapter...works great. Even if the Pro didn't have the headphone jack, the interface has one anyway. So I wouldn't miss it on a new MacBook at all. Someone else might, but not me. 
    I've never used the SPDIF out on any of my MacBook Pros. I have used external interfaces via USB, Firewire 400, and not Thunderbolt 2.

    I won't miss it if it's missing from the new 15". I'm glad they kept the headphone jack... in a pinch I can monitor a protools session on the fly even if it does't have the best DAC around.
    randominternetperson
  • Reply 33 of 84
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    mike1 said:
    Absolutely would miss the digital out on an ATV. One of the reasons I haven't moved to an ATV4. I use the ATV3 for Airplay from my computer and feed the digital audio out to my AV receiver. Can't do that with an ATV4.
    Why would you want to do that on an ATV4? HDMI out from ATV4 to your receiver is the way to go. 
    Unfortunately, not always practical for my set up. I prefer to send the audio from each source to go to the AVR. That way the receiver doesn't always need to be on to watch TV. Also, I have a multi-zone receiver so sometimes the tv will be on, while we have music in another room. I just liked the flexibility of being able to choose the where the sound is going to come from. I could dig out the old Airport Express that I used for Airplay many moons ago.
    dysamoria
  • Reply 34 of 84
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    I know of precisely ZERO people or professionals in audio engineer that have ever used optical audio output from a MBP headphone jack. Seems like a common sense thing to kill off.

    The iPhone 8 will be USB-C connectors or dual-function. Then headphones with USB-C connectors will work on both devices.
    adonissmu
  • Reply 35 of 84
    When my 2013 Macbook Pro - Thunderturd Display setup dies... I'm done with Macs. This new laptop offering is sad. No MagSafe, crappy GPU offerings, a dearth of useful ports, no quad core offerings except on the 15inch, RAM limited to 16GB, and questionable removal of the escape and function keys... If anyone is skipping this years offering, what are you purchasing instead? I'm thinking I might look at Razer... Any other good options? I could always run MacOS in a vm if needed.
  • Reply 36 of 84
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    drtkyu said:
    When my 2013 Macbook Pro - Thunderturd Display setup dies... I'm done with Macs. This new laptop offering is sad. No MagSafe, crappy GPU offerings, a dearth of useful ports, no quad core offerings except on the 15inch, RAM limited to 16GB, and questionable removal of the escape and function keys... If anyone is skipping this years offering, what are you purchasing instead? I'm thinking I might look at Razer... Any other good options? I could always run MacOS in a vm if needed.
    I'm guessing this might be more your speed:

    http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/alienware-15-laptop



    edited November 2016 drtkyu
  • Reply 37 of 84
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    I used that optical port. And why did Eddy/Phil (??) say they kept the 3.5mm socket "for professionals" when it's just an analog output? That thing is noisy as hell, at least it is on my 2009 MacBook Pro 5,5 (wasn't so on my dead 3,1). It's a convenience, not a pro feature.
    edited November 2016
  • Reply 38 of 84
    adamcadamc Posts: 583member
    ireland said:
    Food for MacRumors zombies.
    So true home of the living dead.
    irelandnolamacguy
  • Reply 39 of 84
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    jkichline said:
    The iPhone 8 will be USB-C connectors or dual-function. Then headphones with USB-C connectors will work on both devices.
    I love when people make absolute comments as if they have some inside information about the interworking with the company. Even the hacks with connections to the supply chain use better language like "from what I've heard" or "sources tell me."

    You could choose to make reasoned argument as to why you believe it behooves Apple to lose money by dropping their MFI program and allowing customers to blame Apple for 3rd-party accessories that don't work properly if they move to USB-C, but you didn't do that. Instead you stated that Apple WILL add USB-C to the iPhone. If USB-C is so important and they've been using USB-C since 2008, then why didn't they include it this year?
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